I think you're right in TM trying to accelerate the rebuild. ROR, Kane, Lehner may be decent players, but those trades were pointless when you think about the timing. TM has them in no man's land (unless they score well in the upcoming draft).
- walshyleafsfan

the problem for the sabres, is the complimentary players are not with the big club due to sh!tty contracts on the big club


guhle should be here on the blue line, but instead we have franson, kulikov, gorges and bogo

baptiste, bailey and nylander should be up front on the top 9, at least 2 of them
instead we have gionta, moulson, carrier


and if eichel is your best player, he should be centering your top line instead of a player that peaks at 60 points a season

They need a Tanev/Braun type badly
- Sabresfan-365

yup


need will be the same this offseason as last

2 top 4 d men
a top 6 winger

and I am starting to think a 3rd line center

the problem for the sabres, is the complimentary players are not with the big club due to sh!tty contracts on the big club


guhle should be here on the blue line, but instead we have franson, kulikov, gorges and bogo

baptiste, bailey and nylander should be up front on the top 9, at least 2 of them
instead we have gionta, moulson, carrier


and if eichel is your best player, he should be centering your top line instead of a player that peaks at 60 points a season
- homiedclown

well said

Is it really all coaching or is this team just mentally fragile?

I'm all for firing Bylsma, but I don't think this team is a playoff team under another coach. They still need a lot of speed, and about four new defensemen.
- buffalofan19

When you have
Bogosian
Kulikov
Gorges
Fedun
Franson
Falk

in your defense core playing consistent minutes, its a huge problem. I can see maybe having one or two, but that is a bad group of d-men.

well said
- Sabresfan-365

I remember the mantra when the tank began was "build through the draft". Toronto seems to be doing that. Tim Murray wanted to "accelerate the rebuild". It's discouraging at this point.

Remember when everybody was all up in arms because most predictions had Toronto ahead of Buffalo in the standings?
- buffalofan19

Murray did accelerate the rebuild, but with good intentions, imo.but it hasn't worked out as planned (obviously )but I doubt that he'll sit on his hands! I believe that he didn't want to go the Edmonton route? Trading for ,and signing vets for the kids, but if you take Mathews and jvr out of torontos line up as with the injuries that your team has incurred, the standings would be a hell of alot different!

yup


need will be the same this offseason as last

2 top 4 d men
a top 6 winger

and I am starting to think a 3rd line center
- homiedclown

They probably won't have the opportunity to address all of this but if you can add a top 4 and top 6 (internally i suppose) while shedding the overpaid guys i think you put yourself in a position to contend and be buyers at next years deadline.

what I don't get


why trade for kane
why trade for ror
why trade for lehner
why sign okposo


if your not going to dress your best players in the organization with the big club

They probably won't have the opportunity to address all of this but if you can add a top 4 and top 6 (internally i suppose) while shedding the overpaid guys i think you put yourself in a position to contend and be buyers at next years deadline.
- Sabresfan-365

I am starting to think they need speed as well which is why I put 3rd line center

IMO larsson doesn't have the wheels for the 3rd line and gus is gus

I think you're right in TM trying to accelerate the rebuild. ROR, Kane, Lehner may be decent players, but those trades were pointless when you think about the timing. TM has them in no man's land (unless they score well in the upcoming draft).
- walshyleafsfan

This. Timing was terrible. We wait one year to make any deals, we might be the ones with Matthews. That's just the truth.

When you have
Bogosian
Kulikov
Gorges
Fedun
Franson
Falk

in your defense core playing consistent minutes, its a huge problem. I can see maybe having one or two, but that is a bad group of d-men.
- ImThatGuy

They also have one of the worst top pairs in hockey

**hides**

I am starting to think they need speed as well which is why I put 3rd line center

IMO larsson doesn't have the wheels for the 3rd line and gus is gus
- homiedclown

absolutely, goes back to what we were talking about regarding murray's philosophy/blueprint.

They also have one of the worst top pairs in hockey

**hides**
- sbroads24

agreed

Totally agree... They are a long way from being a competitive playoff team.... I will say this.. If they ar4e that mentally fragile then look at the GM as the cause.... He brought them here...
- rapperray

Sorry but I disagree! I remember saying that if you guys could float around the 5 hundred mark til the injured guys got back you should be ok,they did that for the most part, but I'm looking at your posts here ,and maybe some of you are right it s the coach?

You guys ever hear of Robias Island?

The first step to improving is sending your bad contracts, aging players and dead wood there.
- As_I_See_It

We attempt to salvage our dead weight if we had some of Toronto's contracts Bylsma would be playing Eichel with Laich and Michalek for half the year

absolutely, goes back to what we were talking about regarding murray's philosophy/blueprint.
- Sabresfan-365

another thing

money is no issue with pegula, no reason not to have top notch scouting

why are we not landing a player in europe like Nikita Zaitsev every year

I can't think of 1 free agent we signed from overseas


pissing contest aside with leaf fans, I do watch a good chunk of their games and Zaits is better than any of our d men not named risto right now

Sorry but I disagree! I remember saying that if you guys could float around the 5 hundred mark til the injured guys got back you should be ok,they did that for the most part, but I'm looking at your posts here ,and maybe some of you are right it s the coach?
- MR.Hunter

our d was brutal last year

the gm decided kulikov was the answer


that is a big problem

another thing

money is no issue with pegula, no reason not to have top notch scouting

why are we not landing a player in europe like Nikita Zaitsev every year

I can't think of 1 free agent we signed from overseas


pissing contest aside with leaf fans, I do watch a good chunk of their games and Zaits is better than any of our d men not named risto right now
- homiedclown

Yep. we gave up assets and cap space to add bogo, they found zaitsev. I remember reading they bolstered pro scouting in euorpe, particularly sweden so im not sure why they haven't gone after it. There are a few guys in the SHL this year that could make the jump.

what scares the hell out of me

if the rumors are true that the sabres are interested in Duchene then if your not moving ROR to the wing the next day, the GM is over his head because a top 6 center is about the only thing we don't need

oh nice, thanks for the info.

Another poster and i jokingly speculated that the actual master plan was to rebuild this team using Colorado. If this actually happens ill be convinced
- Sabresfan-365

I guess we'll see, lol

When you have
Bogosian
Kulikov
Gorges
Fedun
Franson
Falk

in your defense core playing consistent minutes, its a huge problem. I can see maybe having one or two, but that is a bad group of d-men.
- ImThatGuy

Our defense is a joke and Bylsma preaches an apparently a complicated defense first system instead of adapting to what we have, I have no clue what this teams strengths are. Every game Bylsma says that we need to slow down team x and limit chances.

the problem for the sabres, is the complimentary players are not with the big club due to sh!tty contracts on the big club


guhle should be here on the blue line, but instead we have franson, kulikov, gorges and bogo

baptiste, bailey and nylander should be up front on the top 9, at least 2 of them
instead we have gionta, moulson, carrier


and if eichel is your best player, he should be centering your top line instead of a player that peaks at 60 points a season
- homiedclown

It seems I always agree with you.. Another great post Homie...

They also have one of the worst top pairs in hockey

**hides**
- sbroads24

Looking around the league, the top 6 depth is average at best.
They need two more wingers in those spots. Nylander hopefully fills one. Draft high this year to get another.

The AVS want a young NHL D man ++ for 9 or 92 and the Sabres aren't moving Risto or McCabe.

Yep. we gave up assets and cap space to add bogo, they found zaitsev. I remember reading they bolstered pro scouting in euorpe, particularly sweden so im not sure why they haven't gone after it. There are a few guys in the SHL this year that could make the jump.
- Sabresfan-365

not sure if they are free agents but

Henrik Tommernes
Philip Holm
Kristian Nakyva
Sebastian Aho


these are a few names to consider